In giving to us the Lord’s Supper, Jesus used exactly the same words—“blood of the covenant”— as Moses had in Exodus 24:8. Jesus gave new meaning to the grape drink.
“This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” (Matthew 26:28)
And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood.” (Luke 22:20)
Just as the Old Covenant began with blood, so the New Covenant also began with the shedding of blood. Yet there was nothing ordinary about this blood. The New Covenant took effect through the blood of God’s own Son! If the blood of mere animals could make the Old Covenant binding, how much more effective is the divine blood that gives power to the New Covenant!
Thus we see that it was the death of our Lord that put into effect His Will, His New Covenant. After the death of Christ, His Will became the means by which His blessings and requirements are given. On the day of Pentecost, shortly after the Lord’s death and resurrection, the Apostles began to announce the blessings offered through Christ (Acts 2).
On Pentecost, the apostles began to announce Christ’s New Covenant blessings.
With the help of the Holy Spirit, they revealed more as time went along. It was revealed that, unlike the First Covenant, Gentiles could freely enter the New Covenant without having to become Jewish (Acts 10, 15). Near the end of the first century, Peter was able to write, “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness” (2 Peter 1:3). Jude could speak of “the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 1:3). Since we have the inspired words of Christ and His apostles in written form, it is not difficult to read for ourselves what His New Covenant has to offer. Indeed we call their inspired writings the New Testament, which means the New Will or the New Covenant.